Page 42 - Mercian Eagle Year of 2023

Mercian Regiment continues to be directly associated with this essential task. Similarly, in the first half of the year, Op ILKANE
drew volunteers to support the UK Border Force, with members of the Battalion committing themselves to work in a truly Joint environment in sometimes extremely difficult and testing circumstances.
this respect 2023 has been no different than previous years. WO2 Brookes and XO’s Maj Sones and now Maj Chatterley, assisted by staff across the Companys have delivered a credible and operationally relevant training package, which culminated in a 2-week Battalion package in Dartmoor, which tested the resilience and robustness of many in what turned out to be a period of mixed and sometimes extreme conditions. One of the stand out achievements was a Silver medal for the 4 MERCIAN Cambrian patrol team
In terms of transformation, over the last 6 months the Battalion has been working through initial orders to restructure to the new Future Soldier 3-Company Light Role Battalion, which we will
complete to be at Initial
Operating Capability by
September 24. Whilst
this re-structure will not
see people physically
moving location, the
new structure will allow
us to better integrate
with 1 MERCIAN, to be
able to provide them
with a War Fighting
Increment of individual
augmentees and a
formed Rifle Company
should the needs of
the Army demand it. This is seen as a great opportunity to forge ahead and build ever closer ties with our partner battalion, which is beneficial in terms of military output and Regimental ties into the future.
In many ways training continues to be the mainstay of 4 MERCIAN, to ensure our soldiers and officers are deployable for whatever tasks present themselves and in
during the Battalions time at Dartmoor.
The years training package has built the foundations for 2024, to allow the Battalion to be part of the Army’s training events in Europe next year, to join with 1 MERCIAN and 12 Armoured Brigade Combat
Team in an Exercise in Poland, which will bring together international Armoured assets from
the UK, Poland, and the US. Being part of what has been termed as the ‘crescendo to Op Mobilise’ will be a great experience for those who take part and I await the final elements of the exercise design being worked through over the next few weeks.
The year has not all been hard work, with two stand-out events demonstrating the true breadth of Army life, those being Op
In many ways training continues to be the mainstay of 4 MERCIAN, to ensure our soldiers and officers are deployable for whatever tasks present themselves
GOLDEN Orb and the King’s Coronation, and the recent visit of the new Colonel
in Chief to the Mercian Regiment. It was fantastic that members of 4 MERCIAN were involved in both of these once in a lifetime events, to demonstrate the active role that
4 MERCIAN play as part of the Whole Force and the British Army.
Finally, I commend the next few articles to you, to see how varied, exciting, and fulfilling life in the Army Reserve can be. I have absolutely no doubt that the next year will be equally adventurous and I look forward to future reflections on all that the 4th Battalion has committed itself to over 2024.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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